Why here?
The meetings industry is thriving in California, as a number of major investments demonstrate. Projects include a $500 million expansion of San Francisco's Moscone Center (above), currently under construction, and a $180 million expansion of Anaheim's convention center that will begin in April.
Snow Biz
• The Homewood Mountain Resort on the western edge of Lake Tahoe now offers skiers and snowboarders exclusive access to more than 750 acres of out-of-bounds trails via Snowcat vehicles.
• A new program at the Alpine Meadows Resort in North Lake Tahoe lets guests snowshoe under the stars to a Swiss-style mountain chalet for a hearty Alps-inspired dinner, including potato cheese soup, prime rib and apple strudel.
Don't Throw Stones
The new 12,000-square-foot Glasshouse in downtown San Jose offers stunningly chic function space for up to 1,200 people, with its main hall surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows.
Raise a Glass
The Pendry San Diego, a 317-room luxury hotel, is slated to open in summer 2016, three blocks north of the San Diego Convention Center. Plans call for a beer hall, an 8,600-square-foot-ballroom, a nightclub, an outdoor pool and a spa.
SAN FRANCISCO
Local Update
• Moscone Center has begun a $500 million expansion that will create some 500,000 square feet of new contiguous exhibition space, multiple outdoor event terraces and more than 8,000 square feet of public space. Construction, which began last month, is expected to be completed by fall 2018. The project comes on the heels of a $56 million renovation of the facility's North and South buildings.
• The James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27 opened this past October with 60,000 square feet of function space available for groups when not being used by cruise ships. The venue has 360-degree views of San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz and the Bay Bridge.
• Once a gathering place for military leaders and their families, the venerable Presidio Officers' Club has reopened as a special-events venue. Groups can take in views of the Presidio and the Bay from the 2,955-square-foot Ortega Ballroom, which also features an outdoor terrace.
• The 404-room W San Francisco has unveiled a new event space with a terrace overlooking the city's SoMa (for South of Market) district. The 2,467-square-foot venue has skylights and radial lighting along the ceiling and can seat up to 200. The hotel has a total of 12,000 square feet of meeting space. For dining, the on-site Trace restaurant offers fresh organic California cuisine.
• In celebration of its 110th anniversary, the Westin St. Francis last May completed a $20 million renovation of its Tower Building, which houses 569 of the hotel's 1,195 guest rooms. The Union Square property, which first opened its doors as the St. Francis Hotel in 1904, has approximately 56,000 square feet of meeting space.
• This past fall, the 336-room Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco, completed a renovation of its 23,000 square feet of meeting space. The refreshed spaces include the property's 9,500-square-foot ballroom, which now sports new black-and-white carpeting, mirrored walls and Bavarian crystal chandeliers.
New to Napa
• The
Silverado Resort & Spa has completed a renovation of all 390 guest rooms, which now feature open kitchens, bold new artwork, redesigned fireplaces and updated bathrooms. The resort has more than 12,000 square feet of indoor function space.
•Judd's Hill Winery now offers bottle-blending day camps for groups of up to 100. Participants enjoy an educational session and a tasting before creating and bottling a custom blend from up to four barrel samples, which they can take home.
• The Hotel Senza has opened in the former La Residence property with 41 guest rooms, a heated outdoor pool with cabanas, a fitness room and a 795-square-foot conference space.
Meeting Hotels: Properties in and around Union Square include the 1,915-room Hilton San Francisco Union Square, 1,500-room Marriott Marquis San Francisco, 1,195-room Westin St. Francis, 1,010-room Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco Union Square and 532-room Hotel Nikko San Francisco.
To find out more about these and other hotels, and to send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Moscone Center; exhibit space, 442,000 square feet in Moscone North and South; number of meeting rooms, 58. Moscone West; exhibit space, 300,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 38. (415) 974-4000
Fort Mason Center; exhibit space, approximately 130,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 17. (415) 345-7500
Airport Transit: San Francisco International Airport, about 13 miles south of San Francisco's downtown district. Transfer cost by taxi, $45 to downtown
Taxes: Room tax, 14%; Tourism Improvements District Assessment, .75% or 1%; Moscone Expansion District, .3125% or 1.25%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15.0625% or 16.25%
Group Venue: A new event venue called The Village opened last August with 17,000 square feet of space overlooking colorful Market Street in downtown San Francisco. The three-floor Village has a distinctly urban vibe, thanks to its interior brick walls, hardwood floors and exposed steel beams. The facility's state-of-the-art technology features HD projector mapping, live broadcasting and more. (415) 757-0720
Kin Khao, which serves authentic modern Thai fare, recently opened in the 1,010-room Parc 55 Wyndham hotel. Manresa alum Michael Gaines runs the kitchen as chef de cuisine, dishing out homemade curry pastes, chili jams and other key sauces to accompany uncommonly creative house-made dishes such as pork sausages, carmelized pork belly and blistered green beans. The restaurant is available for private events and large groups. (415) 362-7456
The elegant Restaurant ANZU, on the second level of the 532-room Hotel Nikko, can create a private dining experience for up to 20 people, while a complete buyout of the eatery can be arranged for about 150. The restaurant offers sustainable California cuisine with an Asian influence, along with a 280-bottle wine list. (415) 394-1100
Contact: San Francisco Travel Association, (415) 974-6900
In the Works
The 1,360-room Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina is building a new two-level facility with two 36,000-square-foot ballrooms and a 25,000-square-foot terrace overlooking San Diego Bay. The project should be finished in June 2016. The hotel currently has 80,000 square feet of meeting space.
ANAHEIM
Local Update
• The Anaheim Convention Center will begin a long-planned expansion project in April. The $180 million effort will add some 200,000 square feet divided among new meeting, ballroom and exhibit space. Upon completion in May 2017, the facility will have a total of 1.8 million square feet for events. In other news, last year the center installed a $5.7 million solar-panel system covering 300,000 square feet of rooftop space and generating 3.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy annually, enough to power 600 homes for a year.
• The Anaheim Packing House, a new gourmet food hall in the city's bustling downtown Packing District, is now open for business on a daily basis. The two-block complex, ensconced in a former fruit-packing facility that dates from 1919, features an array of locally sourced food-and-beverage outlets, communal dining areas, chef-led cooking classes and live entertainment.
• The Anaheim Regional Intermodal Transportation Center opened last month on East Katella Avenue. The facility, which spans some 67,000 square feet, serves as a hub for a number of transport services such as Amtrak, Metrolink and Anaheim Regional Transportation. A variety of shops and restaurants dot the venue.
• The Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau has joined Visit Baltimore and the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau to form Synchronicities, offering customizable incentives and marketing help to groups interested in booking business in all three cities.
• Set to debut in early 2016 is the Great Wolf Lodge Southern California, with 600 guest rooms, approximately 30,000 square feet of function space and an indoor water park. The complex will be about one mile from the Anaheim Convention Center and the Disneyland Resort.
• The Hyatt Place Anaheim Resort/Convention Center opened late last year with 178 guest rooms, free Wi-Fi, a heated outdoor swimming pool and a fitness center. The hotel has more than 1,000 square feet of function space. Nearby, the Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort/Convention Center is set to open this fall with 262 suites, a 24-hour fitness center, an outdoor patio with a BBQ grill and an indoor lounge.
• The Walt Disney Co.'s landmark amusement park, Disneyland, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2015. Look for a series of special events beginning in April; stay tuned for details.
A Taste of Tri-Valley
• The
Restaurant at Wente Vineyards in Livermore features California wine-country cuisine using produce and herbs from an on-site organic garden, in addition to an extensive wine list with more than 1,000 selections. Several private dining spaces are available, including the Veranda Room, which overlooks the lawn and has space for up to 30.
• A palm-tree-lined driveway welcomes guests to the Palm Event Center, in Pleasanton, with its 20,000-square-foot event space and lush vineyards. The property resembles a rustic winery estate and can seat up to 450 guests in a main ballroom ringed with wine barrels.
Meeting Hotels: Properties include the 1,572-room Hilton Anaheim, 1,100-room Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, 1,030-room Marriott Anaheim, 990-room Disneyland Hotel, 490-room Sheraton Park Hotel at the Anaheim Resort, 489-room Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and 284-room Clarion Hotel Anaheim Resort.
Hotels in Huntington Beach include the 517-room Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort; 290-room The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel; and 224-room Hotel Huntington Beach.
Costa Mesa has the 486-room Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa, 390-room Westin South Coast Plaza, 238-room Avenue of the Arts Wyndham Hotel and 224-room Crowne Plaza Costa Mesa Orange County.
Newport Beach offers the 407-room Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 335-room Radisson Hotel Newport Beach and 254-suite Newport Beach Marriott Bayview.
To find and compare hotels, and to send RFPs, go to mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: Anaheim Convention Center; exhibit space, 1.6 million square feet; number of meeting rooms, 51; (408) 792-4194
Airport Transit: John Wayne Airport, about 15 miles south of downtown Anaheim. Transfer cost by taxi, $32
Taxes: Transit occupancy tax, 15%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15%
Group Venue: The Anaheim Convention Center Grand Plaza has 100,000 square feet of flexible outdoor event space adjacent to the convention facility. The pedestrian walkway, lined with stately palm trees, can seat up to 6,500 for an alfresco dinner or can be used for receptions and more. (855) 405-5020
Contact: Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau, (714) 765-8888